The Black Rose
by Kerowyn6
Summary: Dell is having a hard time at Hogwarts. Academically, she's doing wonderfully, but when the entire school knows you're the fruit of a Voldemort-supporting family, it's hard to make friends. Especially when you share said family's view of muggle-borns. It's up to the rest of her house to change her mind...
1. A Lonely Trunk

**Disclaimer: Did you really think I was J.K. Rowling? Forget it.**

There was a sleek, shiny trunk. It was black, and in silver were embossed the initials D.R.L.. A complicated silver clasp held it shut. A girl was sitting on it, running her fingers through her silky black hair and nervously crossing and uncrossing her legs. She kept checking her watch. Finally, a tall young man came up to her, leaned down, and said:

"It was an honor to have you, Dellia. My mother would like me to tell you she is sorry about your father. You are welcome to stay with us in the holidays, but I understand the mess with your parents' place has been sorted out?"

Dellia nodded, almost imperceptibly.

"Remember, do well on exams for the classes that matter, obtain friends, and steer clear of mudbloods."

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy," she managed. "For everything."

"Yes. Well, there are only so many pure-blooded families left in the wizarding world, and it would be best to not let that number diminish," Malfoy said, half to himself. "And you were a good guest. Also, I think my mother likes telling you about your mother. Have a good time at Hogwarts." And with that, he walked off towards his wife and son.

Dellia hummed a Bach concerto for a few seconds, then gave up and slipped her hand into the sleeve of her robe. She pulled out her wand and turned it over in her palm, admiring the smooth finish and elegant shape. Twelve inches, black walnut, unyielding, unicorn hair, the wandmaker had said. She couldn't wait to use it. She wondered vaguely which House she would be put in, decided on Slytherin, and slipped her wand back in her sleeve. The train was coming up the station, puffing steam into the faces of those nearest the tracks.

In the narrow hallway of the the train milled dozens of students, all talking loudly to each other. As she fought her way to a compartment door she overheard snippets of conversation:

"Did you hear about Professor Galgum? He's getting married!"

"...yes, and I told her that if she got put in detention one more time, she'd have spent four days in there..."

"Look at my revolving petunias! I can't wait to show Professor Longbottom!

Dellia forced open the creaky door of a compartment. There was only one person inside at the moment, a small boy holding an open book in his hands but looking everywhere except at its pages. He smiled nervously at her as she shoved her trunk on the rack and sat down on the seat opposite his.

"Hi," she said. Obtain friends, Mr. Malfoy had said, and although that was an odd way of phrasing it, she was going to give it a try, and this boy seemed as nice as any.

"Hi," he said quietly.

A few more moments of awkward silence, and then she said:

"I'm Dellia, but please call me Dell. What's your name?"

"Albus. Nice to meet you."

"You too."

Silence, speech.

"You know anyone else going to Hogwarts?" Dell asked.

"Mm. My older brother James and a few of his friends. My cousins Victoire and Rose. You?"

"My cousin Scorpius. That's about it."

Suddenly, Albus' expression became guarded.

"Your cousin is Scorpius Malfoy?" he said suspiciously.

"Yep. Why?"

Albus was saved from answering by the sudden lurch in the train and the fact that the door to the compartment was flung open and five grinning older students clattered in and flung themselves on the seats.

"Hello, brother!" said the apparent leader loudly. "How's it going? Still scared you're going to get into Slytherin?" He sniggered.

"Go away, James," mumbled Albus. James just smiled even wider, turning to his friends and explaining.

"Albus here is afraid he's going to get into Slytherin! We have to show him that we'll still love him!"

"Shut up, James! I'm not going to get into Slytherin! Go away!"

"Fine. See you at the Sorting!" With that last passing remark James shoved the door back open and swaggered out, followed by his sniggering friends.

Albus sagged in the corner of the compartment.

"He thinks I'm going to get into Slytherin," he muttered, almost as much to himself as to Dell. "My dad told me if I don't want to, the Sorting Hat will take my choice into consideration, but what if James is right?"

"There's nothing wrong with Slytherin," Dell said cooly. "My entire family was in Slytherin bar one."

Albus just gave her an odd look and buried himself in his book.

About fifteen minutes had passed when the door was pushed open again and two kids- a girl and a boy- entered. The girl smiled timidly at the two original incumbents of the compartment, then sat down hesitantly on the seat next to Albus. The boy grinned at Dell, nodded to Albus, and threw himself down next to Dell.

"Hello!" he said confidently. "I'm Dirk Elwood. What are your names?"

"I'm Caitlin Walker," said the new girl quietly.

"Dell Lestrange."

"Albus Potter."

Dirk's eyes widened. Dell's narrowed. Albus crossed his arms and glared at Dell. Caitlin's face bore a look of utter bewilderment at their reactions.

"You're a Lestrange."

"You're a Potter," the two of them said at the same time.

"Potter and Lestrange, eh?" Dirk said finally. "What in the tangled mess that is Merlin's beard are you two doing sharing a compartment? And since when did the Lestranges have a daughter?"

"I had the compartment first, she just came in here and sat down without asking!" protested Albus, then to Dell: "And you're a Lestrange? Your mother killed my grandfather's best friend!"

"And what am I supposed to do about that?" retorted Dell. Albus relaxed a bit, until she continued: "It's not my fault he betrayed the family and consorted with mudbloods!"

"Don't. Use. That. Word!" shouted Albus.

"I'll use whatever words I like, you insolent little cockroach!"

"Muggle-borns have every right to use magic if they can control it!"

"They rot away the pure wizarding blood!"

"Not if they're wizards themselves, you idiot!"

Dell couldn't think of a comeback to that, so she contented herself in slouching in the corner of the compartment and glaring out the window. Albus smiled smugly at the other two kids. Caitlin was still looking confusedly from Albus to Dell, then back to Albus.

"Mudblood is a very nasty term for a witch or wizard born to non-magical parents," Albus explained. "I'm guessing you didn't know about magic before you got you letter?" Caitlin nodded. "Then that's what she's talking about." He glared at Dell. "Get out, Lestrange."

Sensing that there was not a single person in the compartment that did not feel animosity toward her she decided to do as Albus said. Grabbing her trunk, she slammed open the door and headed to find a new compartment.

**I actually had this idea long before I knew of the existence of fanfiction. I decided to do it. For certain aspects of Dell's character development to happen, I need her to be in the same house as Albus, Caitlin, and Dirk. Caitlin and Dirk can go wherever, but I don't want Albus in Slytherin or Dell in Hufflepuff. In my original story, Dell was in Ravenclaw and Albus in Gryffinfor, but I don't think that's going to work. **

**And yes, I know Dell shouldn't be in the same generation as Albus. Bear with me. I have it sorted out. Mostly.**

**Review questions:**

**1. Should I put the four of them in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw?**

**2. What do you like about my story?**

**3. What do you dislike about my story?**

**4. Which characters would you like me to put in?**

**5. Do you have any ideas for Caitlin's personality? Not super-shy and timid, it's boring to write and I already have a character like that (Gemma Glenden) in another fic.**

**6. Do you want an OC in here with cameo appearances or even in their year and house? If so, complete the form below:**

**Name:**

**Status in wizarding world:**

**Appearance:**

**House:**

**Personality:**

**Please review!**


	2. Hide Your Opinions

Dell pushed open the door of the first mostly-empty compartment she could find and plopped herself down on the seat next to a girl whose mass of blond hair was covering most of her face. Throwing her trunk onto the rack, she took a cursory look at the girl. She was tall, with slightly worn robes that didn't quite cover her scratched-up ankles and wrists. She wasn't doing anything in particular, just looking out the window at the passing countryside. She turned her head as Dell came in.

There was a moment of silence in which each person waited for the other to start the conversation. Finally, Dell had had enough.

"Hello," she said. "I'm Dell. You?"

"Alyssa Johnson."

Dell sought desperately for a topic of conversation that did not involve blood purity, dark lords or family allegiances.

"You a first year?" she said at last.

"Yes."

"What House do you think you'll be in?"

"Hufflepuff."

"Ah. I don't know. I mean, I think I'll be in Slytherin, maybe Ravenclaw, or—I don't know," Dell finished lamely.

Alyssa didn't say anything.

Like as to a desperate air-crash survivor stumbling upon a cool oasis in the burning desert, Dell grasped at another conversation prompt.

"Do you like Quidditch?" she asked, and breathed a silent sigh of relief as Alyssa's eyes lit up.

"Oh, yes! I absolutely adore the Holyhead Harpies! Did you know that the year before last they scored fourteen goals against the Wimbourne Wasps? I supported them before that, of course," she added smugly.

"Oh. Cool," Dell managed.

"Yes! And I have the collectible cards for every single member since 1203! Except Ginny Weasely, because she's super rare, and Kelda Dubby, because—well, I just haven't found one of her. And Vivvie Lemon. But pretty much no one has a Vivvie Lemon card, so that's alright." She didn't say anything for a moment, and just as Dell dared think that Alyssa had exhausted her supply of Holyhead Harpies information, she burst out with more. "I went to their game against the Tutshill Tornadoes last year and they won! I never thought I'd see the day when Gwenog Jones purposefully stopped her seeker from catching the Snitch… but it turned out it was a good choice because otherwise they would have lost the league…"

Dell closed her eyes and tried to drown out the consistent flow of Holyhead Harpies facts. She had hoped to start a conversation with Alyssa, to _obtain a friend,_ but if a conversation was a dialogue between two or more people than this wasn't one; it was a monologue.

Her thoughts turned to the last summer she had had with her father. Shifting slightly in her seat, she cast her mind in the past.

_The small house on the Irish countryside was no longer quiet and peaceful. There were shouts and bangs coming from the woods, and Rodolphus Lestrange was fighting to get out of the house before the Aurors arrived. And then there was Dell, a small ten-year-old clinging to her teddy bear as her father bustled frantically around the room, trying to find something, anything, that would enable him to get out with his daughter and escape Azkaban._

_The ministry had put the Trace back on Rodolphus, with the help of fancy, new-fangled magic and Hermione Granger. Apparition was out of the question, as was an invisibility charm, but Rodolphus was entertaining the hope that he could find some item such as a Portkey that did not leave the Trace._

_He didn't find anything. Dell screamed as the Aurors knocked out her father, and then, as she struggled against them, her as well. That was the last she ever saw of Rodolphus Lestrange._

Jerking herself back to the present, she observed as the compartment door was forced open and her cousin, Scorpius Malfoy, entered.

"Hi, Dell," he said, then turned to Alyssa. "Hi whatever-your-name is."

Dell nodded and smiled, and Alyssa gave a small "hello"—her Holyhead Harpies monologue had ended some time ago and her talk-time had exhausted itself.

"Do you want some candy, Dell?" Scorpius asked. "I was in a compartment at the front of the train where the candy lady's already passed." Dell shook her head but thanked him all the same, and Scorpius turned to Alyssa and gestured to his bad of candy.

"Thanks," the girl said quietly, taking a Cauldron Cake. Scorpius nodded.

"What are you two doing?" he asked.

"Not much. Alyssa was telling me about the Holyhead Harpies."

"Mm. Fancy a game of chess?" Dell brightened at this. She had brought several books, but she didn't feel like reading, and chess was something that would alleviate her boredom. The youngest Malfoy reached into his bag and brought out a small collapsable chessboard and a box of figurines.

"White or black?" he asked her.

"I like black, but you can choose." Dell raked her fingers through her hair.

"I like white, so that's perfect." He unfolded the board and started to set up the pieces. "Made any friends yet?"

Dell made a face and as they half-heartedly fought for domination on the chessboard, she explained briefly about what had happened in her previous compartment.

"...so then they kicked me out," she finished.

"You shouldn't say these things, Dell. They might be true, I don't know, but a lot of people get offended by the idea of dirty blood." He inspected his fingernails for dirt, then looked up again. "If you want to make friends I wouldn't go spouting out stuff like that. Or tell people your last name."

Dell scowled heavily at that.

"It's not my fault my dad-" she she turned her gaze to Alyssa, who was looking vaguely at the two cousins. "-did what he did. And you've got a legacy associated with your name as well, so why do you tell people it?"

"It's different for me. My mom sided against- the, uh, person in the end." He glanced out the window. "Looks like we're here. Grab your trunk, let's go."

The two jostled their way off the crowded train. It was pouring outside; thick sheets of water were tumbling down from the heavens above. A large figure was visible through the storm- a enormous, gray-haired man, hefting an umbrella above his head.

"That's Hagrid," Scorpius explained to Dell. "My father told me about him." From his smug expression Dell got the definite impression that her cousin was enjoying knowing far more about Hogwarts than she did.

_Whatever_, she thought, _Goodness knows he's been far kinder to me than he had to. I can handle smugness. Let him gloat if he wants to._

"First years this way!" came the cry over the howl of the wind and the anxious chatter of the students. "Over here! Yer going across the lake!"

It came to Dell's attention that using small rowing boats to cross the lake in stormy weather seemed to serve absolutely no purpose whatsoever other than drenching the first years and making them as cold, miserable and hungry as possible by the time they reached the castle. She sat huddled in a boat with Scorpius and two boys called Jefffrey and Leonus as their means of transport magically propelled itself. She almost wished they'd had to row it- at least that would have kept her warm.

After what seemed an eternity, she stepped stiffly onto the shore in front of the castle. Sand crunched under her feet as she looked up at the daunting building in front of her.

_Wow_, was all her mind processed.

Hogwarts looked as thought it came from some medieval recreation, complete with battlement and heavy oak doors, which were just now being pushed open by a very short man in blue robes. He cleared his throat.

"Welcome, new students of Hogwarts. I am Professor Flitwick, Deputy Headmaster, Charms teacher and Head of Ravenclaw House. If you would now follow me I will lead you to the Great Hall, where you will be Sorted into your Houses."

The troop of first years traipsed after him into a huge room with a high, vaulting ceiling. There were four long tables laid parallel to each other and absolutely jam-packed with students. The staff and faculty had their own table at the front of the room, but dominating everyone's attention was- an old, shabby hat sitting atop a wooden stool.

Dell frowned, and turned questioningly to Scorpius.

"What's the-?"

"Sorting Hat," he explained briefly. "That thing's going to determine our family for the next seven years."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

**Oof. For some reason, that was kind of hard to write.**

**Alyssa Johnson's name, hair color and shyness belong to HayHaySpen101.**

**Please review! If I don't get many reviews, chances are I won't update for the next month and a half.**

**~Kero out.**


	3. Sorted

Everything was going by far too quickly. The hat had sung its song, which Dell had rather liked, but the woman at the head of the hall—Professor McGonagall, she had introduced herself as—was already at the Js.

"Johnson, Alyssa!" the Headmistress called.

"Hufflepuff!" the hat said immediately.

"Jurret, Kieran!"

A taller, confident-looking boy strode calmly up to the stool and grabbed the tattered wizard's, sitting down as he jammed it onto his head. The hat's wide, brim-like mouth opened and formed itself into a wicked smirk as it shouted out:

"Gryffindor!"

Kieran imitated the hat's expression and swaggered over to the red- and gold-clad table.

Of course he was happy, Dell reflected. Who wouldn't be? Everyone wanted to be in the same House as the famous Harry Potter. Gryffindor was the House for heroes, everyone knew that. If compared it with the Slytherin table—why, the difference was astonishing. There were no smiles at the table of the serpents. Most kids were looking at their empty plates, toying disinterestedly with their cutlery. It was the House of the villains.

Well, she would love to be in Slytherin, if only to honor her parents' memories. She tried to stop her knees from shaking. _Calm down, Dell, _she told herself, _you still have all of the Ks—_

"Lestrange, Dellia!" came the Headmistress' voice, cutting through the lively chatter like a stiletto knife through flesh.

Oh. Well. It looked like there weren't any Ks this year.

Trying to keep her fear from showing, Dell walked slowly along the aisle. Whispers filled the Hall, whispers containing words like "pure-blooded fanatics" and "Voldemort". Dell realized that the slower she walked, the more dramatic her Sorting would be, and she hurriedly sped up, practically sprinting the remainder of the way to the stool.

As she grabbed the hat, she saw the Headmistress give her a look. It was an odd look, a mostly unreadable look, but Dell felt like she was being weighed. She shivered, and sat down, jamming the hat onto her head.

_Well, well, well… What do we have here? _A gruff voice in her head said. Dell felt her eyes go wide. _Yes, yes, I can talk. Big deal. What are we going to do with you? You want to be in Slytherin, you crave Slyltherin, and you certainly have the mentality for it—pure-blood supremacy, really, that's so out of date—but… you're not very cunning. Or sly. Dearie me. You're blunt and to the point, and you have never beaten your cousin at chess. No, I'm sorry, but you don't belong in Slytherin. Nor do you belong in Ravenclaw, which frequently goes hand-in-hand with Slytherin. Hufflepuff or Gryffindor…_

_ Please don't put me in Gryffindor, _Dell thought back.

_Well, I must take your opinion into the equation, and yet… You've got guts; you're really not going to do well if you stick to that idea that muggle-borns are beneath you, and the Gryffindors will change your mind about that quite efficiently, so:_

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted out.

The mutterings, which had grown in volume since her Sorting, stopped abruptly, Trying not to cry, Dell walked slowly to her new House's table. Most were glaring at her. She sat down at the very end, as far away from everyone else as she could, and tried to lose herself in the other Sortings.

"Loran, Tina!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Malfoy, Scorpius!"

People started muttering again as Scorpius strode confidently up the aisle. He picked up the hat and plopped it onto his head, sitting down as he did so.

This one took a long time, far longer than Dell's. Hers had been around average time, she supposed. But Scorpius had been up there for two minutes and counting. At one point he glared and muttered something that could have been "That doesn't make me a _bad_ person".

It was another three minutes before the hat reached a decision.

"For his immense understanding of how the world works," the hat said "SYTHERIN!"

A couple of people laughed derisively at that, it was what they had been expecting, and if the Malfoy heir was predictable, then he wasn't dangerous. But Dell knew better. Slytherin was, she reflected, a perfect fit for her cousin (or great cousin, or first cousin once removed, or whatever he was). Scorpius was manipulative, she knew. He was the eleven-year-old version of Machiavelli. People would underestimate him at their peril.

The rest of the Sortings zoomed by; Dell remarked only that Albus Potter was Sorted into Gryffindor (_big surprise, _she thought sarcastically), as was the girl from her first compartment, Catty Walker or something like that. Looking around at her Housemates, she saw that the Dirk boy was also in Gryffindor. Ha. She had been so terrified for her own Sorting she had missed his.

"Attention everyone!" Professor McGonagall clapped her hands. "I would like to welcome all of you back to Hogwarts, and welcome those new students who are coming for the first time. As I'm sure you're all eager to start dinner, I will try to make this as brief as possible. First of all, it has come to my attention that rumors have been circulating regarding Hogwarts' hidden swimming pool. I would like to inform all hopeful swimmers that although several searches have been carried out, no swimming pool has been found. Secondly, I would like to remind all that the Forbidden Forest is, as the name suggests, forbidden. As of this year, any teacher who uses trips into the Forest as detention will be breaking the rules. The only time you may go into the Forest is during Care of Magical Creatures. Lastly, on October 31st, as a Halloween treat, first and second years will go on a half-day study trip to Hogsmeade, accompanied by various chaperones. Please write to your parents or guardians if you would like to attend. Thank you all and welcome back to Hogwarts!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Food appeared on platters all over the Slytherin table. Scorpius sighed—Slytherin. He was not exactly surprised, in fact he had been reasonably certain, but… he had been working hard to appear as an open-minded, forward-think person, one who went against his family's stereotypes. That was the only way to progress in this new wizarding world. Pure-blood fanatics didn't last long. He had yet to form any opinions on the importance of blood, but he tried to seem as though he disagreed with his family's infamous opinion.

He looked around at his Housemates. Unlike the other Houses, there was not lively chatter here—apart from two girls half-heartedly gossiping two seats down, people just stared moodily at their plates, poking dejectedly at their food. He sighed again.

Scorpius Malfoy may have been only eleven and a half, but he was smart, and he knew that Slytherin needed something to motivate it, something to bring it back to its former glory, someone to rally it back together—and he decided he would be that person.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

**Hello, everyone! Well, three of you... **

**I would like to thank Hayhayspen101, because they have been so encouraging and motivating! I really, really appreciate it, so this chapter is for them. **


	4. Llamas in Hats

**Hey, people! Long time no see! This was fun to write. I think it's my longest TBR chapter yet. 1,819 words. I'd like to wish HayHaySpen101 a happy birthday, although it's quite a bit late. **

**Also, a big thanks to HayHaySpen101 for being so supportive of this story. I don't deserve it.**

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

The Slytherin quarters had been relocated since the war.

Scorpius knew that they had been in the dungeons for centuries—but for a reason that seemed to be unfathomable to the rest of his House-mates, they had been moved to an airy wing on the third floor. Apparently the decorator had not understood the theory of 'House colours', as the entire dormitory had been painted an aggravating shade of lilac, and the 1st year boys' dorm was sunset orange.

Scorpius didn't mind. He didn't like the House colours at any rate—he thought that colours encouraged one's mind to group people together under one heading; in this case 'good', 'bad', 'useless' and 'smart'. Green was evil, no one doubted that anymore, not least the Slytherins themselves.

It was a House of losers and bullies, the people who started writing their will before they were born, and those who started writing other people's.

_I wonder which category I fall into? _Scorpius thought. _No matter. I'll find out soon enough, and anyway, everyone has a little of both in them. That's why the Houses are bad. They encourage this sort of thinking._

There were only three other boys in his year. Leander Jade was a tall, pale, skinny boy with a mess of auburn hair and the worst case of acne Scorpius had ever seen on an eleven-year old. He had claimed the bed nearest the door, with an explanation consisting solely of 'corners give me nightmares' and proceeded to hang up on the wall an enormous collection of posters, all featuring something Scorpius had never heard of called Twilight.

Scorpius put his bags down on the last bed and peered out the window. The view wasn't spectacular, just forest for as far as he could see.

"Do you mind if I take this bed?" a timid voice said from behind him. He spun around. The speaker was a tiny little boy with brown skin and brown hair that seemed to consist mostly of cowlick.

"Sure," he said, shrugging. "I'm Scorpius Malfoy. What's your name?"

"Ben Meurk."

"Nice to meet you, Ben," Scorpius said, smiling.

Ben smiled back, nervously, it seemed to Scorpius. "All this magic stuff is really weird," he said. "Did you grow up with it?"

_Don't change your expression, _Scorpius told himself, _Leander and that other boy, Matt possibly, are watching you. They know your name and they're waiting to see what you'll do._

"I can understand that," he said carefully. "I grew up in the wizarding world, but it must be quite odd to be dropped into it suddenly, without warning." He smiled again for good measure, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Leander and Matt turn back to their organizing. He stifled a sigh of relief.

"So… where are you from?" he asked Ben.

The boy shrugged. "I've been around a bunch. My parents are divorced, and my mum lives in Ireland, so I get tossed around the country. You?" Ben opened his trunk and started putting clothes in his bedside dresser.

"England," said Scorpius.

"Hey, Scorpius?"

"Yeah?"

"Wanna be friends?"

"Sure," Scorpius said, and smiled.

**0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Albus was thrilled. He was in Gryffindor. He was in his father's House. He wouldn't have to worry about Uncle Ron disinheriting him. He was in _Gryffindor! _

True, he would have to deal with being taunted by James, but, well, no pain no gain, eh?

"Are you related to Harry Potter?" asked a voice from his left. It was… Maudie? Margie? Maddie? Something like that. She had sat two seats down from him at the feast.

"He's my father," he answered her.

"That's so cool! What's he like?" A fan, then. James had told him about them, although his older brother liked the attention.

"Ummm… fatherly?"

This did not appear to deter MaudMargMadd-ie. "I know," she said, very patiently, as though she were addressing a two year-old, "But how does he act when he's not around you?"

"I don't know," Albus said honestly, "I'm not there."

His interrogator sighed. "You're hopeless," she muttered, not quite under her breath. Then she brightened up. "I'm Maudie! You're Balus, right?"

"Albus," said Albus through clenched teeth.

"Cool! You need a nickname!"

"What?" Albus said reflexively, nonplussed.

"A nickname! Like how my full name is Maudellia, but people call me Maudie."

_What sort of parent names their kid Maudellia?_

Maudie plopped herself down on one of the overstuffed sofas in the Gryffindor common room as Hestia Jones, head of Gryffindor House, clapped her hands for silence.

"Welcome, all of you, to Gryffindor House!" The cheers were deafening. Professor Jones grinned. She was a short, pixie-like woman of around forty-five years old. "This will be your home for the next seven years, the people around you your family!"

"I've got it," hissed Maudie out of the corner of her mouth. "You'll be Baley." Albus frowned.

"The Quidditch team, captained by Teddy Lupin, will be holding tryouts on September 10th," Jones continued. "Applicants are requested not to bring their own broom, as Teddy would like to ensure a policy of entrance on skill and not wealth. Nimbus 2001s will be provided for all."

"But my name isn't Balus!" Albus hissed back to Maudie.

"Mr. Potter! Please pay attention instead of gossiping with your neighbor!" Proffessor Jones reprimanded. Albus nodded mutely, cheeks burning, and sank back into his seat.

"I know!" Maudie whispered. "But Baley is better than Albie!"

"Can't you just call me Albus?"

"_Mr. _Potter!"

"Yes, Professor?" That was James, leaning on the wall over by the bulletin board, surroundedby his friends.

Jones pursed her lips as the assembled Gryffindors giggled. "Not you."

"Not me what, Professor?" The giggling continued, and Teddy Lupin snorted explosively.

"You're not the Mr. Potter I was referring to," said the professor acerbically, although Albus got the impression she was acting more annoyed than she was.

"Oh." James feigned a look of puzzlement. "Sorry, my dad isn't here."

"Nor him. I was referring, in fact, to your little brother, who is whispering with his friend over there instead of listening."

"My little brother?" James looked completely bewildered. "Oh, you mean Albus." He grinned. "Oh, no, he's not my little brother. We disinherited him when he was two."

The crowd laughed even harder, as James grinned crookedly and winked. Albus glared at the floor.

Jones sighed, but smiled tolerantly and waited for the chuckles to die down. "As I was saying, there is a choice on Wednesday and Friday afternoons of Art, Theatre, Music or Electronics, all areas in which Hogwarts has been informed it lacks education. Signups are on the board which Mr. Potter Sr. has kindly furnished in pictures of Llamas in Hats."

She paused again as everyone turned to peer curiously at the board. James took a bow.

"I believe that's it for tonight. I wish you all a good night, and would encourage you to get some rest, however I know that no one goes to bed before midnight on the first night. I will turn a blind eye to any students sneaking down to the kitchens." She grinned again and left the room.

"I like her!" Maudie announced. "What about you, Baley?"

"Don't call me Baley," said Albus, with a pained expression. "Albie I can deal with. But please, for the love of Merlin and all his various undergarments and facial hair, not Baley."

Maudie shrugged. "Suit yourself, Albie. See ya!" She jumped up from the couch and wandered away.

"Helloooooo, dear disinherited bro!" James said dramatically, stretching himself out like a cat on the sofa. His girlfriend, Marie, sat down next to him and waved at Albus. The rest of his posse gathered around like spectators at a Quidditch match.

"Hi, James," mumbled Albus.

"That's no way to greet your brother! Just you wait 'til I tell mother!"

"Why are you rhyming, James?" Albus asked cautiously. You never quite knew where these sorts of questions would get you.

"Rhyming is life's quintessential beauty! Ummm… ummm…. Marie, you're a cutey!"

Marie rolled her eyes and gave him an indulgent smile. To Albus, she said:

"Just ignore him. He's been looking forward to you coming to school for the past half a year."

Albus had a hard time believing that. "He has?"

"Oh, yes. So he can make fun of you, of course."

"Marie, you're a spoil-sport," James pouted. "Maybe you… I shouldn't be court?''

"—ing," added Marie. "Come on, James, let's leave your poor brother alone."

James winked at Albus as he left, and gave him a half-salute.

Well. It seemed Marie would help him when it came to being teased by James. And it looked like they were happy together… maybe she would be a good influence on him. Maybe.

He grinned suddenly, caught up in the exhilaration of becoming part of a family, and cast his gaze around the room. Suddenly, he noticed a figure in the corner. It was that Lestrange girl, and she seemed to be crying.

Albus sighed, and although he really did dislike her, he was basically a good person, so he got up from the couch and went over to her. No one else seemed to be comforting her, and Merlin knew she looked like she needed some comforting.

She looked up as he sat down next to her and glared at him.

"Go away," she mumbled.

"Are you all right?" It was a bit of a lame question, Albus had to admit, but it was better than nothing.

"What do you think? I got Sorted into a House where everyone hates me. No, I'm not all right." All of the anger seemed to drain out of her. "Why couldn't I have been in Slytherin and Scorpius in Gryffindor?" she asked plaintively.

Albus didn't know what to say. He… well, as much as he could empathize with someone who thought muggleborns were beneath her, he understood a bit of how she felt. He had been terrified of being Sorted into Slytherin, and he could imagine only too well how he would have felt if he had been.

"Well," he tried, being careful not to insult Scorpius Malfoy. They were cousins, after all. "I guess Scorpius is really smart, so he got into Slytherin. And you're really brave, so you got into Gryffindor."

Dell smiled a smile that looked even more hopeless than her scowl. "You know what the Sorting Hat told me?" she asked.

"…No?"

"It told me that it put me in Gryffindor because I needed to have my opinions about mud—about muggleborns changed." She inspected a rather shabby tapestry on the wall as though it contained ancient and miraculous knowledge. "So there you go. I'm not smart enough for Ravenclaw or Slytherin, and I'm not nice enough for Hufflepuff. That's why I'm in Gryffindor."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

**Aaaaand.. CUT! There you go, people. I hope you liked it. It was... well, it was actually kind of a filler chapter, but it's my favorite so far. **

**~Kero out. : )**


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